Books: The Little Savage

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Chapter IX

"A year passed away, during which I was thus employed. At last, the
birds made their appearance, and after we had laid up our annual
provision, I was freed from my task, and had only to share the labour
with others. It was now a great source of speculation how long we
were likely to remain on the island; every day did we anxiously look
out for a vessel, but we could see none, or if seen, they were too
far off from the island to permit us to make signals to them. At last
we began to give up all hope, and, as hope was abandoned, a settled
gloom was perceptible on most of our faces. I believe that others
would have now mutinied as well as myself, if they had known what to
mutiny about. Your father and mother were the life and soul of the
party, inventing amusements, or narrating a touching story in the
evenings, so as to beguile the weary time; great respect was paid to
your mother, which she certainly deserved; I seldom approached her;
she had taken a decided dislike to me, arising, I presume, from my
behaviour towards her husband, for now that I was again on a footing
with the others, I was as insolent to him as I dared to be, without
incurring the penalty attached to insubordination, and I opposed him
as much as I could in every proposal that he brought forward--but
your father kept his temper, although I lost mine but too often. The
first incident which occurred of any consequence, was the loss of two
of the men, who had, with your father's permission, taken a week's
provisions, with the intention of making a tour round the island, and
ascertaining whether any valuable information could be brought back;
they were the carpenter and one of the seamen. It appears that during
their return, as they were crossing the highest ridge, they, feeling
very thirsty, and not finding water, attempted to refresh themselves
by eating some berries which they found on a plant. These berries
proved to be strong poison, and they returned very ill--after
languishing a few days, they both died.

"This was an event which roused us up, and broke the monotony of our
life; but it was one which was not very agreeable to dwell upon, and
yet, at the same time, I felt rather pleasure than annoyance at it--I
felt that I was of more consequence, and many other thoughts entered
my mind which I shall not now dwell upon. We buried them in the
guano, under the first high rock, where, indeed, the others were all
subsequently buried. Three more months passed away, when the other
seaman was missing. After a search, his trousers were found at the
edge of the rock. He had evidently been bathing in the sea, for the
day on which he was missed, the water was as smooth as glass. Whether
he had seen something floating, which he wished to bring to land, or
whether he had ventured for his own amusement, for he was an
excellent swimmer, could never be ascertained--any more than whether
he had sunk with the cramp, or had been taken down by a shark. He
never appeared again, and his real fate is a mystery to this day, and
must ever remain so. Thus were we reduced to four men--your father,
the captain, the mate, and me. But you must be tired--I will stop
now, and tell you the remainder some other time."

Although I was not tired, yet, as Jackson appeared to be so, I made
no objection to his proposal, and we both went to sleep.

While I had read the Bible to Jackson, I had often been puzzled by
numbers being mentioned, and never could understand what was meant,
that is, I could form no of the quantity represented by seventy or
sixty, or whatever it might be. Jackson's answer was, "Oh! it means a
great many; I'll explain to you bye-and-bye, but we have nothing to
count with, and as I am blind, I must have something in my hand to
teach you." I recollected that at the bathing pool there were a great
many small shells on the rocks, about the size of a pea; there were
live fish in them, and they appeared to crawl on the rocks. I
collected a great quantity of these, and brought them up to the
cabin, and requested Jackson would teach me to count. This he did,
until he came to a thousand, which he said was sufficient. For many
days I continued to count up to a hundred, until I was quite perfect,
and then Jackson taught me addition and subtraction to a certain
degree, by making me add and take away from the shells, and count the
accumulation, or the remainder. At last, I could remember what I had
gained by manipulation, if I may use the term, but further, I could
not go, although addition had, to a degree, made me master of
multiplication, and subtraction gave me a good idea of division.

This was a new delight to me, and occupied me for three or four
weeks. At last I had, as I thought, learned all that he could teach
me in his blind state, and I threw away the shells, and sighed for
something more.

Of a sudden it occurred to me, that I had never looked into the book
which still lay upon the shelf in the cabin, and I saw no reason now
that I should not; so I mentioned it to Jackson, and asked him why I
might not have that book?

"To be sure you may," replied he; "but you never asked for it, and I
quite forgot it."

"But when I asked you before, you were so particular that I should
not open it. What was your reason then?"

Jackson replied--"I had no reason except that I then disliked you,
and I thought that looking into the book would give you pleasure. It
belonged to that poor fellow that was drowned; he had left it in the
stern-sheets of the boat when we were at Valdivia, and had forgotten
it, and we found it there when we landed on the island. Take it down,
it will amuse you."

I took down the book, and opened it. It was, if I recollect right,
called "Mavor's Natural History." At all events, it was a Natural
History of Beasts and Birds, with a plate representing each, and a
description annexed. It would be impossible for me to convey to the
reader my astonishment and delight. I had never seen a picture or
drawing in my life. I did not know that such things existed. I was in
an ecstasy of delight as I turned over the pages, hardly taking
sufficient time to see one object before I hastened on to another.
For two or three hours did I thus turn over leaves, without settling
upon any one animal; at last my pulse beat more regularly, and I
commenced with the Lion. But now what a source of amusement, and what
a multitude of questions had to be answered by my companion. He had
to tell me all about the countries in which the animals were found;
and the description of the animals, with the anecdotes, were a source
of much conversation; and, what was more, the foregrounds and
backgrounds of the landscapes with which the animals were surrounded
produced new ideas. There was a palm-tree, which I explained to
Jackson, and inquired about it. This led to more inquiries. The lion
himself occupied him and me for a whole afternoon, and it was getting
dark when I lay down, with my new treasure by my side. I had read of
the lion in the Scriptures, and now I recalled all the passages; and
before I slept I thought of the bear which destroyed the children who
had mocked Elisha the prophet, and I determined that the first animal
I would read about the next morning should be the bear.

I think that this book lasted me nearly two months, during which
time, except reading a portion every night and morning to Jackson,
the Bible and Prayer-book were neglected. Sometimes I thought that
the book could not be true; but when I came to the birds, I found
those which frequented the island so correctly described, that I had
no longer any doubt on the subject. Perhaps what interested me most
were the plates in which the barn-door fowls and the peacock were
described, as in the background of the first were a cottage and
figures, representing the rural scenery of England, my own country;
and in the second there was a splendid mansion, and a carriage and
four horses driving up to the door. In short, it is impossible to
convey to the reader the new ideas which I received from these slight
efforts of the draftsman to give effect to his drawing. The engraving
was also a matter of much wonder, and required a great deal of
explanation from Jackson. This book became my treasure, and it was
not till I had read it through and through, so as almost to know it
by heart, that at length I returned to my Bible. All this time I had
never asked Jackson to go on with his narrative; but now that my
curiosity was appeased, I made the request. He appeared, as before,
very unwilling; but I was pertinacious, and he was worried into it.

"There were but four of us left and your mother, and the mate was in
a very bad state of health; he fretted very much, poor fellow, for he
had left a young wife in England, and what he appeared to fear most
was, that she would be married again before he could get home. It
ended in a confirmed liver complaint, which carried him off nine
months afterwards; and thus was one more of our companions disposed
of. He died very quietly, and gave me his sleeve-buttons and watch to
deliver to his wife, if ever I should escape from the island. I fear
there is little chance of her ever receiving them."

"Where are they?" said I, recollecting how I had seen him lift up
the board under his bed-place.

"I have them safe," replied Jackson, "and if necessary, will tell
you where to find them."

This reply satisfied me, and I allowed him to proceed.

"We buried him in the guano, by the side of the two others, and now
we were but three. It was at this time that your mother was confined
and you were born; that is about three months after the death of the
mate. We had just finished laying in our stock of birds for the year
when she was taken ill, sooner than was expected, and it was supposed
that it was occasioned by over-exertion at the time. However, she got
up very well without any medical assistance, and your father was much
pleased at having a son, for he had been married five years without
any prospect of a family. I ought to observe that the loss of our
companions, one after another, had had the effect of bringing those
that remained much closer together; I was treated with more kindness
by both your father and mother, and the captain, and I returned it as
well as my feelings would permit me, for I could not altogether get
rid of my animosity to your father. However, we became much more
confidential, that is certain, and I was now treated as an equal.

"Six months passed away and you had become a thriving child, when a
melancholy occurrence"--here Jackson covered up his face with his
hands and remained for some time silent.

"Go on," said I, "Jackson, I know that they all died somehow or
another."

"Very true," replied he, recovering himself. "Well, your father
disappeared. He had gone to the rocks to fish, and when I was sent to
bring him home to dinner, he was nowhere to be found. It was supposed
that a larger fish than usual had been fast to his line, and that he
had been jerked off the rocks into the water and the sharks had taken
him. It was a dreadful affair," continued Jackson, again covering his
face.

"I think," replied I, "that any man in his senses would have allowed
the fish to have taken the line rather than have been dragged into
the water. I don't think that the supposed manner of his death is at
all satisfactory."

"Perhaps not," replied Jackson; "his foot may have slipped, who
knows? we only could guess; the line was gone as well as he, which
made us think what I said. Still we searched everywhere, but without
hope; and our search--that is the captain's and mine, for your poor
mother remained with you in her arms distracted--was the cause of
another disaster--no less than the death of the captain. They say
misfortunes never come single, and surely this was an instance of the
truth of the proverb."

"How did he die?" replied I, gravely, for somehow or other I felt
doubts as to the truth of what he was saying. Jackson did not reply
till after a pause, when he said--

"He was out with me up the ravine collecting firewood, and he fell
over the high cliff. He was so injured that he died in half an hour."

"What did you do?"

"What did I do--what could I do but go back and break the news to
your mother, who was distracted when she heard it; for the captain
was her friend, and she could not bear me."

"Well go on, pray," said I.

"I did all that I could to make your mother comfortable, as there
now were but her, you, and I, left on the island. You were then about
three years old; but your mother always hated me, and appeared now to
hate me more and more. She never recovered the loss of your father to
whom she was devotedly attached; she pined away, and after six months
she died, leaving you and me only on the island. Now you know the
whole history, and pray do not ask me any more about it."

Chapter X

Jackson threw himself back in his bed-place and was silent. So was
I, for I was recalling all that he had told me, and my doubts were
raised as to the truth of it. I did not like his hurrying over the
latter portion of his narrative in the way which he had done. What he
had said about my mother was not satisfactory. I had for some time
been gradually drawing towards him, not only shewing, but feeling,
for him a great increase of goodwill; but suspicion had entered my
mind, and I now began to feel my former animosity towards him
renewed. A night's sleep, however, and more reflection, induced me to
think that possibly I was judging him too harshly, and as I could not
afford to quarrel with him, our intercourse remained as amicable as
before, particularly as he became more and more amiable towards me
and did everything in his power to interest and amuse me.

I was one day reading to him the account of a monkey given in the
book of Natural History, in which it is said that that animal is fond
of spirits and will intoxicate itself, and Jackson was telling me
many anecdotes of monkeys on board of the vessel he had sailed in,
when it occurred to me that I had never thought of mentioning to him
or of ascertaining the contents of the cask which had been thrown
into the bathing-pool with the seaman's chest, and I did so then to
Jackson, wondering at its contents and how they were to be got at.

Jackson entered into the question warmly, explaining to me how and
where to bore holes with a gimlet, and making two spiles for me to
stop the holes with. As soon as he had done so, curiosity induced me
to go down to the pool where the cask had been lying so long, in
about a foot-and-half water. By Jackson's directions I took a
pannikin with me, that I might bring him a specimen of the contents
of the cask, if they should prove not to be water. I soon bored the
hole above and below, following Jackson's directions, and the liquor,
which poured out in a small stream into the pannikin, was of a brown
colour and very strong in odour, so strong, indeed, as to make me
reel as I walked back to the rocks with the pannikin full of it. I
then sat down, and after a time tasted it. I thought I had swallowed
fire, for I had taken a good mouthful of it. "This cannot be what
Jackson called spirits," said I. "No one can drink this--what can it
be?" Although I had not swallowed more than a table-spoonful of it,
yet, combined with the fumes of the liquor which I had inhaled when
drawing it off into the pannikin, the effect was to make my head
swim, and I lay down on the rock and shut my eyes to recover myself.
It ended in my falling asleep for many hours, for it was not much
after noon when I went to the cask, and it was near sunset when I
awoke, with an intense pain in my head. It was some time before I
could recollect where I was, or what had passed, but the pannikin
full of liquor by my side first reminded me; and then perceiving how
late it was, and how long I must have slept, I rose up, and taking
the pannikin in my hand, I hastened to return to the cabin.

As I approached, I heard the voice of Jackson, whose hearing, since
his blindness, I had observed, had become peculiarly acute.

"Is that you, Frank?"

"Yes," replied I.

"And what has kept you so long--how you have frightened me. God
forgive me, but I thought that I was to be left and abandoned to
starvation."

"Why should you have thought that?" replied I.

"Because I thought that some way or another you must have been
killed, and then I must have died, of course. I never was so
frightened in my life, the idea of dying here all alone--it was
terrible."

It occurred to me at the time that the alarm was all for himself,
for he did not say a word about how sorry he should have been at any
accident happening to me, but I made no remark, simply stating what
had occurred, and my conviction that the contents of the cask were
not drinkable.

"Have you brought any with you?" inquired he, sharply.

"Yes, here it is," said I, giving him the pannikin.

He smelt it, and raised it to his lips--took about a wine-glassful
of it, and then drew his breath.

"This is delightful," said he; "the best of old rum, I never tasted
so good. How big did you say that the cask was?"

I described it as well as I could.

"Indeed, then it must be a whole puncheon--that will last a long
while."

"But do you mean to say that you really like to drink that stuff?"
inquired I.

"Do I like to drink it? yes, it is good for men, but it's death to
little boys. It will kill you. Don't you get fond of it. Now promise
me that you will never drink a drop of it. You must not get fond of
it, or some sad accident will happen to you."

"I don't think you need fear my drinking it," replied I. "I have had
one taste, as I told you, and it nearly burnt my mouth. I shan't
touch it again."

"That's right," replied Jackson, taking another quantity into his
mouth. "You are not old enough for it; bye-and-bye, when you are as
old as I am, you may drink it, then it will do you good. Now, I'll go
to bed, it's time for bed. Bring the pannikin after me and put it by
my side. Take care you don't spill any of it."

Jackson crawled to his bed, and I followed him with the pannikin,
and put it by his side, as he requested, and I returned to my own
resting-place, without however having the least inclination to sleep,
having slept so long during the day.

At first Jackson was quiet, but I heard him occasionally applying to
the pannikin, which held, I should say, about three half-pints of
liquor. At last he commenced singing a sea song; I was much
surprised, as I had never heard him sing before; but I was also much
pleased, as it was the first time that I had ever heard anything like
melody, for he had a good voice and sang in good tune. As soon as he
had finished, I begged him to go on.

"Ah!" replied he, with a gay tone I had never heard from him before.
"You like songs, do you? my little chap. Well, I'll give you plenty
of them. 'Tis a long while since I have sung, but it's a 'poor heart
that never rejoiceth.' The time was when no one in company could sing
a song as I could, and so I can again, now that I have something to
cheer my heart. Yes, here's another for you. I shall rouse them all
out by-and-bye, as I get the grog in--no fear of that--you find the
stuff, and I'll find songs."

I was surprised at first at this unusual mirth; but recollecting
what Jackson had told me about his intemperance, I presumed that this
mirth which it produced was the cause why he indulged so much in it;
and I felt less inclined to blame him. At all events, I was much
pleased with the songs that he sang to me one after another for three
or four hours, when his voice became thick, and, after some muttering
and swearing, he was quite silent, and soon afterwards snored loudly.
I remained awake some time longer, and then I also sank into
forgetfulness.

When I awoke the next morning, I found Jackson still fast asleep. I
waited for him for our morning meal; but, as he did not wake, I took
mine by myself, and then I walked out to the rock, where I usually
sat, and looked round the horizon to see if there was anything in
sight. The spy-glass, from having been in sea water, was of no use,
and I did not know what to do with it; nor could Jackson instruct me.
After I had been out about an hour I returned, and found Jackson
still snoring, and I determined to wake him up. I pushed him for some
time without success; but, at last he opened his eyes, and said:

"My watch already?"

"No," said I; "but you have slept so long, that I have waked you up."

He paused, as if he did not know my voice, and then said:

"But I can't see anything; how's this?"

"Why, don't you know that you're blind, Jackson?" replied I, with
amazement.

"Yes, yes; I recollect now. Is there anything in the pannikin?"

"Not a drop," replied I; "why, you must have drunk it all."

"Yes, I recollect now. Get me some water, my good boy; for I am
dying with thirst."

I went for the water; he drank the whole pannikin, and asked for more.

"Won't you have something to eat?" said I.

"Eat? oh no; I can't eat anything. Give me drink;" and he held out
his hand for the pannikin. I perceived how it trembled and shook, and
I observed it to him.

"Yes," replied he, "that's always the case after a carouse, and I
had a good one last night--the first for many a year. But there's
plenty more of it. I wish you would get me a little more now, Frank,
just to steady me; just about two or three mouthfuls, no more; that
is, no more till night-time. Did I make much noise last night?"

"You sang several songs," replied I, "with which I was much amused."

"I'm glad that you liked them. I used to be considered a good singer
in my day; indeed, if I had not been such good company, as they term
it, I had not become so fond of drinking. Just go and fetch me about
half an inch high of the pannikin, my good fellow, that's all I want
now."

I went down to the cask, drew of the quantity that he requested, and
brought it to him. He drank it off; and, in a few moments, appeared
to be quite himself again. He then asked for something to eat, and
commenced telling me a variety of stories relative to what he termed
jolly parties in his former days; so that the day passed very
agreeably. As the night closed in, he said:

"Now, Frank, I know you want to hear some more songs; so go down and
bring me up a full pannikin, and I will sing you plenty."

I complied with his request, for I was anxious to be again amused as
I was the night before. The consequence was that this night was, in
the early portion of it, but a repetition of the previous one.
Jackson took the precaution to get into his bed-place before he
commenced drinking; and, as soon as he had taken his second dose, he
asked me what sort of songs I liked. My reply naturally was, that I
had never heard any one sing but him, and therefore could not say.

"What did I sing to you last night?" said he.

I replied as well as I could.

"Ah," said he, "they were all sea songs; but now I will give you
something better."

After a little thought, he commenced singing a very beautiful and
plaintive one, and certainly much better than he had sung the night
before; for he now was sober. The consequence was, that I was still
more delighted; and, at my request, he sang several others; but at
last his speech became rapid and thick, and he would not sing any
more, using some very coarse expressions to me when I asked him. For
a time he was silent, and I thought that he was going to sleep, and I
was reflecting upon the various effects which the liquor appeared to
have upon him, when I heard him talking and muttering, and I listened.

"Never mind how I got them," said he; "quite as honestly as other
people, Old Moshes. There they are, do you choose to buy them?" Then
there was a pause, after which he commenced: "They're as pure
diamonds as ever came out of a mine. I know that, so none of your
lies, you old Jew. Where did I come by them? that's no concern of
yours. The question is, will you give me the price, or will you not?
Well, then, I'm off. No, I won't come back, you old thief." Here he
swore terribly, and then was silent.

After a while he recommenced--

"Who can ever prove that they were Henniker's diamonds?"

I started up at the mention of my father's name; I rested with my
hands on the floor of the cabin, breathless as to what would come next.

"No, no," continued Jackson, "he's dead, and food for fishes--dead
men tell no tales--and she's dead, and the captain's dead, all dead--
yes, all;" and he gave a bitter groan and was silent.

The day was breaking, and I could just see him as he lay; but he
said no more, and appeared to breathe heavily. As the sun rose, I got
out of my bed-place; and, now that it was broad daylight, I looked at
Jackson. He was lying on his back; his brow was covered with large
drops of perspiration, and his hands were clenched together. Although
asleep, he appeared, by the convulsive twitching of the muscles of
his face, to be suffering and in great agony. Occasionally he groaned
deeply, and his lips appeared to move, but no sound proceeded from
them. I perceived that the pannikin of liquor was not finished, one-third
at least having been left.

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